Petrie (who sometimes used his middle initial, and sometimes not) began his career as a stage actor in the 1930s and became a familiar presence on radio, film, and TV. His TV credits include several episodes of The Honeymooners (1955), General Hospital (1963), the role of the film editor in Mad About You (1992), and episodes of The Drew Carey Show (1995). He appeared in movies such as Gypsy (1962) and Baby Boom (1987).